Tired of Trying
I'm going through a phase of feeling exhausted. Both emotionally and physically – I am drained. I know it’s my own fault; I make too many promises and rush around trying to not let anyone down. Mustn’t disappoint, mustn’t fail. Not ever at anything. No wonder I’m tired and feeling, well, like a failure!
It’s hard to feel like a success or count your blessings when you’re strongly focused on a “to do” list that seems to just go on and on. No time to reflect, no time to review progress – just enough time to drop several of the balls that I’m juggling. Welcome to the story of my life. Does it sound like yours
too?
The really worrying thing about living life in the high achieving, clearly focused fast lane is that it is too fast. Too fast for gentle slow conversations with friends, or for pausing to think about and pray about the things that matter most.
Now don’t get me wrong, being busy isn’t bad. In fact Jesus was enormously busy. Busy explaining to people God’s interest in them. Busy helping. Busy healing. His busyness was clearly related to his life mission or purpose. He knew what he was about and I can’t see any evidence that he was prone to
distraction. But I am, and I wonder if my bouncing from one task to the other, without ever seeming to get much closer to my goals is evidence of my lack of focus on what really matters.
Let’s see how this works… No time for prayer and reflection .….work twice as hard investing your life in achieving things that may not be what you really want your life to be about. Mmmm, it pays to know what really matters to you and to invest your time in focusing on it.
Now Jesus was super busy and the whole world was depending upon him, even those who didn’t understand the big picture yet we read that
“Jesus awoke long before daybreak and went out alone into the
wilderness to pray” Mark 1:35 (NLT)
Even when facing sorrow, leaving the company of his friends the disciples, he said
“ ..sit here while I go on ahead to pray” Matthew 26:36 (NLT)
The link between prayer and positive achievement is real not imagined. If
Christ, all knowing and miracle working as he was, valued time with his
father, how much more do we need to value it?
Why not be selfish for a few minutes each day and open your life to a world
of possibilities and insight. Take time out and talk to God. Take time out
and think and listen. You don’t have to be perfect to talk to one who already
understands you and cares for you.
“You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our
saviour. You are the hope of everyone on earth, even those who
sail on distant seas.”
Psalm 65: 5 (NLT)